Pongamia tree named ‘K128b’

ABSTRACT

‘K128b’ is a new  Pongamia  tree distinguished by having consistent and abundant production of seed pods, coupled with the high oil content of the seeds.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Pongamiapinnata (L) Pierre.

Cultivar denomination: ‘K128b’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Pongamia tree(Pongamia pinnata (L) Pierre) named ‘K128b’. ‘K128b’ was discovered bythe inventors growing in an urban cultivated area in southeasternQueensland, Australia, wherein it and neighboring trees are grown forshade and other landscape amenities. The parentage of this tree isunknown, as is typical for trees cultivated in landscape plantings ofthis type.

‘K128b’ has been reproduced asexually through vegetative cuttings.

‘K128b’ has not been made publicly available more than one year prior tothe filing date of this application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A new and distinct variety of Pongamia tree (Pongamia pinnata (L)Pierre), named ‘K128b’, which is distinctly characterized by a dense,spreading crown, and by regularly (e.g. annually or nearly so) bearingcopious quantities of fruit pods containing seeds with high seed-oilcontent (38.5%, dry-weight basis). Pods tend to appear in denseclusters. ‘K128b’ demonstrates excellent vigor and is reasonablyresistant to insect and disease pests.

The original tree of ‘K128b’ was initially identified and selectedprimarily on the basis of its consistent production of abundant seedpods, coupled with the high oil content (38.5%, dry-weight basis) of itsseeds. Subsequently, branch cuttings were collected from the donor treeand rooted by treating the cuttings with the rooting hormoneindolebutyric acid (IBA) using either an aqueous solution of IBA (500ppm) or a commercially available rooting powder. Dehydration of thecuttings was avoided by placing them in moistened rooting medium withina humid enclosed chamber. Rooting success varied from one collectionevent to another, which is normal for cuttings from mature trees.Typically 10% or more of the cuttings initiated root development within3 to 4 weeks. Cuttings were rooted in Brisbane, Australia, as well as inTexas, U.S.A. These asexually propagated rooted cuttings remainedtrue-to-type, and showed considerable resemblance among one anotherafter accounting for differences such as variation in overall size ofthe cuttings.

Similar to Pongamia cultivars ‘K140’ (U.S. Patent Publ. No.2015/0020251) and ‘K606’ (U.S. Patent Publ. No. 2015/0020252), ‘K128b’has a strong tendency to produce regular crops of pods each year.Relative to other comparison cultivars, ‘K128b’ is unusual for itsrelatively small seeds (averaging 0.88 g) borne in correspondinglysmaller pods. Seed oil content, at 38.5%, is similar to that of ‘K606’(38.6%), but is substantially less than that of ‘K140’. ‘K128b’ bearsgenerally elliptical pods characterized by an apical tip that is lessasymmetrically hooked than are pods of ‘K140’. The spreading crown of‘K128b’ lacks the tendency of ‘K606’ to bear upright branches and‘K128b’ also lacks the tendency of ‘K140’ to bear pendulous shoots.Finally, some leaves (<10%) of ‘K128b’ bear a distinguishing anomaly inwhich one leaflet of the basal pair is replaced by two smaller andimperfectly formed leaflets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This new Pongamia tree is illustrated by the accompanying photographs,which show the tree's form, branches, foliage, leaves, trunk, pods, andseeds. The colors shown are as true as can be reasonably obtained byconventional photographic procedures.

FIG. 1—shows an overview of ‘K128b’ as seen from the street. Thespreading crown bears dense foliage. The top of the crown has beenperiodically pruned to keep foliage away from overhead power lines.

FIG. 2—shows a close-up of the smooth bark on the trunk, illustratingmottled patches of lighter and darker gray.

FIG. 3—shows pinnately compound leaves illustrating variation in colorfrom lighter to darker green. The leaf at the bottom is oriented to showthe underside. Compound leaves typically bear 5 to 7 leaflets.

FIG. 4—shows pods (aligned in the top row) and seeds (bottom row). Thepods are regularly elliptical in outline, but vary in size as shown. Thebrown to reddish-brown seeds also vary in size, with larger seeds beingfound in larger pods.

FIG. 5—shows a lateral branch representing the current year's growthflush. Leaves have been removed to illustrate six contiguous fertilenodes, each with an axillary rachis bearing one or more developing pods.The fruiting structure at lower left (arrow) illustrates a branchedinflorescence.

FIG. 6—shows a compound leaf illustrating an anomalous pair of smallbasal leaflets in place of the normal larger leaflet (arrow points topair).

FIG. 7—shows inflorescences of various sizes and stages of maturity,illustrating acropetal development.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘K128b’. Hereafter, standardized color designationsrefer to The Royal Horticultural Society (R.H.S.) Mini Colour Chart.

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Fabaceae.        -   Botanical.—Pongamia pinnata (L) Pierre; also called            Millettia pinnata (L) Panigrahi, Derris indica (Lam.)            Bennet, Pongamia glabra Vent, and Cytisus pinnatus (L).        -   Common name.—Pongam tree, or pongam oiltree.        -   Cultivar name.—‘K128b’.-   Plant description:-   Tree:    -   -   Size.—Modest size and stature, 5.8 m in height. Crown            diameter, measured at the drip-line in two dimensions, is            8.5×8.1 m.        -   Trunk.—The main stem is branched at a height of 1 m from the            ground, and subsequently branches several more times shortly            above. Diameter of the trunk at a height of 1 m above the            ground is 28 cm. Tree crowns and trunks continue to grow as            trees age. A small number of epicormic branches are visible            along the trunk. A fully elongated epicormic shoot can range            from approximately 30 to 86 cm in length, with a stem            diameter of from about 3.5 to over 8 mm.        -   Bark.—Smooth, grey, with some lighter-color mottling. Faint            lenticular scars are visible as horizontal striations.        -   Form.—Decurrent crown form with dense, compact foliage.            Outer branches are arched downward without drooping. The            crown of ‘K128b’ was pruned periodically as part of a            maintenance routine to prevent unwanted interference with            overhead utility lines, and to minimize encroachment into            adjacent public spaces.-   Branches: The three largest branches of ‘K128b’ are located on the    main stem, just over 1 m from the ground. Their basal diameters are    18.5, 12.1, and 16.2 cm, and their color closely resembles the color    of the main stem. Branch length is highly variable from year to year    due to regular crown pruning, and thus is not a reliable defining    characteristic of this tree.    -   -   Branching habit.—Many branched limbs. Growth and size of            lateral branches are considerably less than that of the main            branches. Many smaller branches occur higher in the crown.        -   Buds and shoots.—Terminal buds are absent. Young shoots            emerge from naked lateral buds, with the most distal bud            giving rise to a terminal shoot. Buds are hemispherical and            range from 3.3 to 5.0 mm wide at their base. Buds protrude            outward 1.7 to 3.5 mm from the stem and are between 1.2 to            1.5 mm thick. The typical bud color is strong yellowish            green (RHS 144A) on younger shoots, and light olive (RHS            152B) on more mature shoots.        -   Terminal shoots.—The seasonal elongation of terminal shoots            on main branches is considerable, ranging in length from            about 22 to 55 cm and encompassing 8 to 18 leaf nodes. Stem            diameters of terminal shoots range from 4.2 to 7.8 mm with            an average of 5.2 mm.        -   Lateral shoots.—Seasonal elongation of lateral shoots is            considerably shorter, ranging in length from 2 to 13 cm and            bearing only 2 to 6 nodes. Diameters of lateral shoots range            from 4.2 to 6.1 mm with a mean of 5.3 mm.        -   Shoot and twig surfaces.—Woody twigs have leaf scars that            are 5.5 to 6.0 mm wide, showing traces of three vascular            bundles. The youngest shoots are distinctly green and            flexible, with no lenticels apparent to the naked eye. As            shoots mature, their color shifts from green to tan and            prominent lenticels become visible as raised light-colored            corky circles approximately 1.5 mm in diameter.-   Leaves: Pinnately compound leaves bear typically 5 or, more commonly    7 leaflets. Leaves are arranged alternately along the stem.    -   -   Size and shape.—The outline of a compound leaf is roughly            oval, with a length of 14 to 32 cm (average 24 cm) and a            width of 13 to 24 cm (average 20 cm).        -   Leaflets.—Blades of individual leaflets are oval to slightly            ovate with cuspidate tips, acute bases, and entire margins.            Blades of terminal leaflets range in width from 4.3 to 9.8            cm (average 7.8 cm) and in length from 5.3 to 11.8 cm            (average 8.7 cm). The smallest leaflets on a leaf tend to be            basal, ranging in width from 3.8 to 6.7 cm (average 4.8 cm)            and in length from 4.2 to 10.2 cm (average 7.1 cm). A            distinguishing anomaly on some leaves of ‘K128b’ is that a            basal leaflet is replaced by two smaller and imperfectly            formed leaflets. This was observed on a relatively small            proportion (<10%) of leaves.        -   Leaflet color, surface, and texture.—Leaflets are glabrous            on both abaxial and adaxial surfaces. Young leaves exhibit a            strikingly glossy cuticle on their adaxial surface. The            adaxial surface of a typical leaflet is dark green (RHS            136A), while the abaxial surface is deep yellowish green            (RHS 141A) and is less glossy. Newly expanded leaflets are a            strong yellowish green (RHS 144A) on both the adaxial and            abaxial surfaces. Leaflets turn a darker shade of green as            they age and become increasingly sclerophyllous.        -   Stipules.—A pair of small stipules subtends the youngest            leaves on a shoot. They remain for only a short duration            before they dehisce.-   Flowers and inflorescences: Hermaphroditic florets are borne on an    indeterminate inflorescence.    -   -   Inflorescence structure.—Several florets are clustered into            a fascicle node which are more-or-less evenly distributed            along a rachis. The entire inflorescence is a pseudoraceme.            Most inflorescences are unbranched, but some are branched.            Infloresences are 6 to 23 cm in length and 3 to 4 cm in            width, with a mean length of 17 cm and mean width of 3.1 cm.        -   Position in crown.—Inflorescences are borne in 4 to 6 basal            leaf axils of the current year's vegetative flush, near the            distal end of the prior year's shoot growth. An average            unbranched inflorescence encompasses over 50 florets, and            about 50% more on a branched inflorescence. Flower clusters            tend to be most common towards the outer surface of the            crown.        -   Florets.—Emerge acropetally from a fused ovoid calyx with            entire margins and glabrous texture. The calyx has a typical            depth of 3.3 mm and width of 4.5 mm, and is dark purple (RHS            83A) on both the inner and outer surfaces. Pedicels range            from 5.6 to 8.3 mm in length and are 0.5 mm in diameter.            Pedicels can be dark purple (RHS 83A) or light olive (RHS            152B), or a combination of both colors. Zygomorphic florets            consist of 2 keel, 2 wing, and a standard (or banner) petal,            and have a depth of 11.6 mm and a diameter of 10.0 mm.            Banner petals are yellowish white (RHS 155D) on both            surfaces, and often have a small colored patch (strong            yellowish green, RHS 144A) just above the wings and keel on            both surfaces. The banner apex is emarginate, and the base            is rounded. Wing petals are typically 7.7 mm long and            exhibit a very light purple (RHS 76B) coloration on both            surfaces. Wing petal apices are obtuse, and bases are            truncate.        -   Flowering period.—Tends to flower later relative to other            Pongamia trees in the general area (early December in            southeastern Queensland, Australia).-   Fruits: Seed pods usually bear a single seed, infrequently two    seeds.    -   -   Shape and color.—Developing fruits first appear as            dark-green flattened pods, expanding in size into lighter            green and eventually tan-colored woody pods.        -   Crown distribution.—Pods can occur throughout the crown, but            are most prevalent towards the outer portions of the crown.        -   Fruit clusters.—Pods occur in clusters of 1 to 7, and are            connected by the rachis of the inflorescence from which they            developed.        -   Dimensions.—Pods range in size from 38 to 49 mm long, by 19            to 25 mm wide, by 8 to 11 mm thick, averaging            43.6×22.3×9.1 mm. Pods range in shape from oval to            half-moon, with an acuminate tip, and average 1.26 g in            weight. Fruits begin to ripen in late October (in            southeastern Queensland, Australia), about 10 months after            flowering.-   Seeds: Typically borne singly in pods. Sometimes an aborted (and    much smaller) seed occurs alongside a fully-formed seed.    -   -   Seed coat.—Seeds are covered by a thin seed coat that is            beige to dark-brown.        -   Seed size.—Range in size from 16 to 20 mm long, by 12 to 15            mm wide, by 5 to 8 mm thick, averaging 18×14×6 mm. Average            seed weight is 0.88 g.        -   Seed oil.—Oil content is higher than average, relative to            other Pongamia trees, at 38.5% oil on a dry-weight basis.        -   Nut crop.—Regular bearer.        -   Crop frequency.—Most Pongamia trees rarely produce abundant            nut crops across multiple years, instead bearing fruit            biennially or less frequently. ‘K128b’ is unusual in that it            bears fruit and seeds during most years.        -   Ripening.—Fruit ripening begins in late October and extends            into December. If undisturbed, pods remain in the crown for            several weeks after they ripen.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Pongamia pinnata(L) Pierre tree called ‘K128b’ as illustrated and described herein.